Universities expand focus on animal welfare

Nat Williams
Dec 28, 2023
Dec 28, 2023

Participants in the 2023 fall Animal Welfare Assessment Contest work on their respective projects. Animal welfare is a growing science presented at many universities.
Photo courtesy University of Illinois

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Despite not having an animal welfare curriculum, the University of Illinois is making progress in a novel science.

kAm&?56C8C25F2E6 DEF56?E z2J=J? r9@: E@@< E96 E@A DA@E :? 2 42E68@CJ @7 E96 p?:>2= (6=72C6 pDD6DD>6?E r@?E6DE[ 96=5 :? }@G6>36C 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 (:D4@?D:?\#:G6C u2==D 42>AFD] pFDE:? s2G:D 2=D@ A=2465 :? E96 4@>A6E:E:@?[ H9:=6 E96 D49@@=’D E62> 7:?:D965 7@FCE9 :? E96 &?56C8C25F2E6 s:G:D:@?]k^Am

kAm|@C6 E92? ab_ C68:DEC2?ED C6AC6D6?E:?8 ac F?:G6CD:E:6D 7C@> }@CE9 p>6C:42 2?5 tFC@A6 A2CE:4:A2E65 :? E96 :?\A6CD@? 2DD6DD>6?ED @7 E96 H6=72C6 @7 2?:>2=D :? 2 G2C:6EJ @7 D6EE:?8D]k^Am

kAmp?:>2= H6=72C6 :D C6=2E:G6=J ?6H 2D 2? 24256>:4 5:D4:A=:?6 — :? A=246 =:EE=6 >@C6 E92? EH@ 564256D]k^Am

kAm“xE’D @?6 @7 E96 J@F?86DE D4:6?46D @FE E96C6[” D2:5 p?86=2 vC66?\|:==6C[ 2? 2DD@4:2E6 AC@76DD@C 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 x==:?@:D 2?5 E62> =6256C] “xE’D G6CJ >F49 7@4FD65 @? F?56CDE2?5:?8 E96 6IA6C:6?46 @7 E96 2?:>2=D] %96C6 2C6 2 =@E @7 E9:?8D E92E 8@ :?E@ 9@H E96 2?:>2= 6IA6C:6?46D E96 H@C=5]”k^Am

kAm(9:=6 D@>6 F?:G6CD:E:6D 92G6 2?:>2= H6=72C6 4FCC:4F=2[ E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 x==:?@:D 5@6D ?@E] !2CE:4:A2?ED :? E96 2??F2= 4@>A6E:E:@? :?4=F56 F?56C8C25F2E6D[ 8C25F2E6 DEF56?ED[ G6E6C:?2CJ DEF56?ED 2?5 G6E6C:?2C:2?D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ |:4926= $2? u:=:AA@ @7 E96 p>6C:42? '6E6C:?2CJ |65:42= pDD@4:2E:@?[ H9:49 DA@?D@CD E96 4@?E6DED]k^Am

kAm%96 D4:6?46 92D 2 E9C66\AC@?865 2AAC@249i 4@?D:56C2E:@? @7 E96 3:@=@8:42= 7F?4E:@? @7 E96 2?:>2=[ 27764E:G6 DE2E6D W“766=:?8D”X 2?5 ?2EFC2= =:G:?8] vC66?\|:==6C 56D4C:36D E96 =2EE6C 2D 2 7@4FD @? 9@H H6== 2 >2?2865 2?:>2= :D A2:C65 E@ E96 6?G:C@?>6?E]k^Am

kAm%96 4@?E6DE H2D 7@F?565 2E |:49:82? $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ :? a__` 2D E96 p?:>2= (6=72C6 yF58:?8 2?5 pDD6DD>6?E r@?E6DE 2?5 H2D >@56=65 27E6C EC25:E:@?2= =:G6DE@4<[ 9@CD6 2?5 >62E ;F58:?8 4@>A6E:E:@?D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ p|'p] xE H2D 7F?565 :? A2CE E9C@F89 2? 65F42E:@?2= 8C2?E 7C@> |6C4< p?:>2= w62=E9]k^Am

kAmp?:>2= 28C:4F=EFC6 :D 2 4@>A@?6?E[ 3FE E96 D4:6?46 6>3C246D E96 82>FE @7 9F>2?\2?:>2= :?E6C24E:@?D] %92E :?4=F56D K@@ 2?:>2=D[ H@C<:?8 2?:>2=D[ 6I@E:4 DA64:6D 2?5 6G6? A6ED]k^Am

kAm%96C6 2C6 24EF2==J EH@ 4@>A6E:E:@?D 2??F2==J[ H:E9 E96 DAC:?8 4@?E6DE 36:?8 G:CEF2=[ 2 >@G6 EC:886C65 3J E96 r~'xs A2?56>:4] %96 72== 4@>A6E:E:@? :D 2 92?5D\@? 6G6?E]k^Am

People are also reading…

‘Tough to compete with feedlot for cost of gain’
New policies affect spread of alternative energy sites
Agriculture will play a major role in upcoming corner crossing discussions
Finding her niche on family farm: Newman Grove farm wife builds pork business
Morrell, Stockyards made a mark on Sioux Falls history
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Mitchell Tech students present research at Commodity Classic
‘Micro-dairy’ adds diversity to family business
Faith and trust: Small rural church members have faith in future of their congregation
Family closes generation gap
Scherbenske Angus Ranch 50th Annual Production Sale
Rebounding from stray voltage, farmer recharges
Evenson Angus 46th Annual Production Sale
Leland Red Angus & Koester Red Angus
Wildfires: Yearning to help, prompted to plan

kAm“xE’D 2 =:EE=6 5:776C6?E E92? EC25:E:@?2= =:G6DE@4< ;F58:?8[”k^Am

kAm|:==6C\vC66? D2:5] “p E62> 5@6D?’E 4@>A6E6 >F=E:A=6 E:>6D] W!2CE:4:A2?EDX 2C6 AC6D6?E65 H:E9 EH@ D46?2C:@D] %96J 4@>A2C6 2?5 >2<6 2DD6DD>6?ED E@ 56E6C>:?6 H9:49 :D 36EE6C 7@C E96 H6=72C6 @7 E96 2?:>2=D 2?5 H9J] %96C6 2C6 2 =@E @7 5:776C6?E 2DA64ED[ :?4=F5:?8 42C6[ 724:=:EJ[ 2?:>2= 4@?5:E:@?D 2?5 @FE4@>6D]”k^Am

kAm%@ D@>6[ E96 E6C> “2?:>2= H6=72C6” >2J D@F?5 =:<6 2?:>2= C:89ED[ 3FE :E :D 2 72C 4CJ 7C@> E92E[ 244@C5:?8 E@ vC66?\|:==6C]k^Am

kAm“%9:D :D :?E6?565 E@ 36 >F49 >@C6 :? =:?6 H:E9 =@@<:?8 7@C A@D:E:G6 @FE4@>6D] xE’D ?@E 2E 2== =:?65 FA H:E9 2?:>2= C:89ED\EJA6 24E:G:E:6D[” D96 D2:5] “(6=72C6 :D 4@>A=6E6=J 5:776C6?E E92? C:89ED] xE’D ?@E 2 ?682E:G6 @7 FD:?8 2?:>2=D 7@C AFCA@D6D] xE’D H92E’D C62=:DE:4[ H92E’D AC24E:42=[ H92E’D :562=] …k^Am

kAm“%96 D46?2C:@ 92D =@E @7 5:776C6?E 2DA64ED[ DF49 2D 42C6[ 724:=:EJ[ 2?:>2= 4@?5:E:@? 2?5 @FE4@>6] xE’D 2 9@=:DE:4 2DD6DD>6?E @7 2D >2?J 56E2:=D 2D J@F 42? 4@?D:56C[ =@@<:?8 2E H9:49 2C6 >@DE :>A@CE2?E 7@C 6IA6C:6?46 @7 E96 2?:>2=]”k^Am

kAmx?5665[ 72>65 =:G6DE@4< 3692G:@C 6IA6CE %6>A=6 vC2?5:? 92D 366? :?E:>2E6=J :?G@=G65 :? E96 D4:6?46] $96 9@=5D 2k^Am

kAmDA64:2= :?E6C6DE 7@C E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 x==:?@:D E62> 3642FD6 vC2?5:? C646:G65 96C !9s 2E E96 F?:G6CD:EJ]k^Am

kAm“$96 :D A2CE @7 @FC 4@>>F?:EJ[” vC66?\|:==6C D2:5] “x? a_`h H6 H6C6 2E r@=@C25@ $E2E6 WH96C6 vC2?5:? E62496DX 2?5 D96 H2D @?6 @7 @FC 9@DED] (6 92G6 2 DA64:2= 7@?5?6DD 3642FD6 D96 :D 2? 2=F>]”k^Am

kAmt=6>6?ED @7 E96 4@>A6E:E:@? 42? 46CE2:?=J 36 F?FDF2=] %96 D46?2C:@ 2E E96 }@G6>36C 4@?E6DE :?G@=G65 E96 C624E:@? @7 E@CE@:D6D :? 2 K@@ E@ G2C:@FD @FED:56 :?7=F6?46D[ :?4=F5:?8 4=:>2E6[ :?E6C24E:@? H:E9 42C6E2<6CD[ ?FEC:E:@?[ 6?C:49>6?E 2?5 962=E9 @FE4@>6D]k^Am

kAm“%92E’D 2? 6I2>A=6 @7 G6CJ D92==@H =:E6C2EFC6[” vC66?\|:==6C D2:5] “xE’D ?@E 366? 566A=J DEF5:65]’k^Am

kAmtG6CJ 4@>A6E:E:@? :?4=F56D 28 DA64:6D] %9:D J62C[ E96 DF3;64E H2D 4286\7C66 =2J:?8 96?D]k^Am

kAm“%9:D :D ?@E 23@FE ;F58:?8 E96 :?5FDECJ[ 3FE =@@<:?8 2E 9FD32?5CJ AC24E:46D 2?5 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ :>AC@G6[” vC66?\|:==6C D2:5] “xE’D ?@E 3:?2CJ[ =:<6 ‘E9:D :D 8@@5[ E9:D :D 325]’ qFE :E E62496D 4C:E:42= E9:?<:?8] xE’D 8@@5 2E E6249:?8 DEF56?ED 9@H E@ AC:@C:E:K6 7@C 64@?@>:4 @FE4@>6D[ 962=E9 @FE4@>6D 2?5 @E96C E9:?8D]”k^Am